In the prior art, different apparatuses of the basic type described are known. DE 197 25 477 C relates to such an apparatus for instance, wherein a shockwave is initiated by a collision of a pneumatically accelerated striking member or projectile with an impact body or applicator resting initially, wherein the shockwave can be coupled into the body of the patient when a front area of the applicator is placed on the patient's body at the time of the collision. As regards the history of its development, this type of apparatus results from lithotripsy apparatuses which can be used for transferring such a shockwave onto a kidney stone or the like for a disintegration, for instance via a long rod-like probe at the front area of the applicator.
Therein, an emphasis is on the shockwave generated by the collision, which can be more or less comparable to an actual shockwave generated by a classical typically focusing lithotripsy apparatus having for instance a piezoelectric or inductive actuator and a focusing on a stone. Such shockwaves can have a leading edge with a width in the region of a few μs and an amplitude in a lower double-digit MPa region (for instance 2 μs and 15 MPa measured 1 cm in front of the front area). In the document cited however, it is emphasized that the macroscopic movement of the applicator's center, which cannot be prevented as such physically, shall be kept rather small because it is considered as disadvantageous.
As a second example, reference is made to DE 20 2004 011 323 U and US 2011/0054367 A1 having a comparable content. There, an apparatus which is comparable as regards its technical design is described, the elastic mounting of the applicator in the housing being however adapted for a larger movement of the applicator's center (“travel”). There, it is emphasized that a therapeutic effect can be caused also or mainly by the actual macroscopic strokes (namely as a result of the travel), which also depends from the indication.
In general, the present invention relates to apparatuses of that type, namely regarding the application of shockwaves as well as regarding the application of “macroscopic strokes” of the applicator to the body surface.
Therein, the invention is to solve the problem to provide such an apparatus with further application possibilities on the body surface of the patient.